


In The Fine Print

by LadyBee



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Boss/Employee Relationship, Childhood Friends, Childhood Memories, F/M, Modern AU, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-04-05
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:21:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 20,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyBee/pseuds/LadyBee
Summary: In my defense, Ygritte had an interesting sense of humor and I thought it to be kind of sexy.” Jon said as he shrank his shoulders a bit. “She reminded me of you quite a lot, actually.”“I know. I’m terribly sexy, especially when I laugh like a dying pig.” She tried to not take that comment seriously, or at least to not interpret it in a way that would get her expectations sky-high. “But I admit that your thing for good sense of humor to be surprising. Most men would go for the obvious. Pretty face, top model like body...You at least have personality.”“I don’t know if you noticed, but I’m not exactly the life of the party. Having someone around to share a laugh with is truly something I enjoy. I guess this is one of the things I miss most of our youth. You, Robb and Bran...I was always laughing back then.” Jon tried to explain in a way that could keep the conversation safe. “C’mon! There’s nothing unusual you look for in a guy?”“Yep.” Arya nodded in agreement. “I like them complicated, as you said. Even better if he is a bit broody too.”Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7DQOs1khm7aSFzYjQOLEwK?si=SZiLKUfFS7K9lGuIe32yxg
Relationships: Jon Snow & Arya Stark, Jon Snow/Arya Stark
Comments: 30
Kudos: 125
Collections: Jonrya Valentines Challenge





	1. Chapter 1

She had been working on the reports for the board meeting for hours. The sun had gone and Arya had no idea of how much time she had spent on that paper work, but she wasn’t willing to have Connington questioning her commitment to the team again. Not that delivering the report would make the man like her any better, but she could do with one less reason for him to discredit her efforts to deliver a decent result.

The fact that it was Valentine’s Day and Arya had nothing better to do that night might have collaborated to that decision. Finishing the report and avoiding all the decoration and couples in love sounded like a good option, although in the long run Arya came to regret it.

When she was finally over she looked at her cellphone to check for messages and was shocked by the fact that it was already 10 p.m. and she was still alone in the building, writing pages and pages down. She was exhausted and hungry. Arya couldn’t even remember when she last ate, but no one inside that company cared anyway.

Arya decided to call it a day after printing the report twice and sending it to Connington’s email. She grabbed her handbag and coat. She wanted to arrive home as soon as possible, preferably before the rain. She was ready to go when she heard some noise outside the office. Apparently she hadn’t been the only one detained by a deadline inside the office.

She walked out of her office to check who might be the person working on late hours. With a bit of luck it would be someone she could share a taxi with.

There was only one light still turned on in the corridor and she knew exactly who was there. Arya walked all the way to the locked door and knocked at it. She heard a grumpy voice telling her to enter.

He didn’t bother to look her way for a while. Jon was completely distracted by a pile of papers, with a glass of Scotch sitting by his side. He had his hair in a total mess and had removed his jacket. His sleeves had been rolled up to the level of his elbows.

“Are you staying, Mr. Snow?” She asked. It still felt weird to address him so formally, but work was work and it had been way too long since he visited her parents’ house often enough for Arya to feel entitled to some level of intimacy.

He looked up to face her properly. For a second his sober and guarded face softened a bit. Jon was probably as exhausted as she was.

“I think it’s time for me to call it a day.” He said as he checked his wrist watch. “Why are you still here, Arya? It’s late and I’m pretty sure you have something else to do on a Friday night.”

“I’m good. I had this report to prepare for the meeting on Monday. I preferred to stay and finish it, instead of taking it home.” Arya tried to sound positive and proactive, instead of complaining that Connington had been just waiting for a chance to complain about her and call her incompetent. “What about you?”

“I was comparing our financial statement with the previous years. I’m a bit dizzy because of the numbers.” He tried to make it sound like a funny thing, but they were obviously burning their last drops of energy.

“Are you sure it’s not the whiskey?” She teased and, to her surprise, Jon blushed like a maiden.

“Maybe.” He admitted with a grin that made him look younger. “We should go. It’s way too late and I’m starving.”

“Yeah. I feel you. I think I’ve been running on coffee since lunch.” Arya replied in a sympathetic way.

“Do you wanna grab something to eat?” He asked immediately as if it was the most ordinary thing he could do. “I mean...If you don’t have any other plans. I’m hungry and you are hungry. I guess we can find somewhere near to have a bite or something. I can take you home afterwards.”

“It would be nice, but please nothing too elaborated.” Jon nod in agreement.

He rolled down his sleeves and tried to fix his hair and shirt so he could look somewhat presentable. Jon grabbed his jacket and coat before turning off the lights and locking his door.

“Does a stake sound simple enough?” He suggested as they walked all the way to the elevator. “Unless you are a vegetarian or something. We can find something else if you like.”

“A stake would be great.” She said as they entered the elevator.

There was a bit of awkward silence and some small talk all the way to the streets. In some ways it didn’t feel appropriate to venture on more personal topics of conversation while they were still inside the building. Despite the fact that they had known each other for a long time, Jon was still her boss and she didn’t want to mix her work with her personal life.

The restrictive atmosphere vanished, at least from him, once they felt the build and walked through the streets looking for a nearby restaurant that wasn’t overcrowded. The cloudy sky suggested that it would rain latter that night and the idea of Jon giving her a ride back home felt like a blessing.

“Why are the restaurants so fucking crowded?” Jon eventually questioned out loud as they saw the lines in front of every restaurant on their way. Being hungry and tired was starting to affect his mood while he seemed to ignore the obvious answer to his own question.

“Maybe because it’s Valentine’s Day. I completely forgot about it when I accepted your invitation.” Arya replied with slightly annoyed tone. She was hungry too and the odds of finding a place to eat given the date and the weather were bad. Jon rolled his eyes.

“I should have remembered something like this, but not having someone to celebrate Valentine’s Day with kind of make this date irrelevant to me.” Jon sighed. “I’m sorry. I probably ruined your plans for the night.”

“It’s not as if I had plans or someone to celebrate with, as you said. I just hope we can get a table somewhere. I’m starving.” Arya made sure to easy his worries so they could move past the awkward and depressing remarks on how neither of them cared about Valentine’s Day for the lack of a valentine.

“Don’t worry about it. I know where to find decent food and Ed is an old friend that always have a table for me.” Jon seemed quite confident on his capacity of finding them a table somewhere and Arya had to admit that he had this capacity of inspiring friendship and loyalty. “Is Robb doing well in Chicago? It has been ages since I last talked to him.” Jon finally asked in a clear attempt to change the subject to something familiar and safer. He had been friends with Robb during high school. Even during college they kept some contact and still considered each other as friends, despite of the distance.

“He is. He has been recently promoted at the Federal Reserve, but I think he is planning to open his own business.” Arya said calmly. “He is to marry Jayne.”

“So I’ve heard. I wish he would quit this idea of opening his own business there and would come back to New York.” Jon finally said. “I could do with someone as good as him near.”

“Wouldn’t it be wrong to employ both me and my brother?” She asked teasingly.

“Robb is competent for all I know about his moves. So are you and that’s enough for me. Targaryen Inc. is a family business, though. By definition we run on nepotism, or do you think Aegon is there for anything but his surname?” At that Arya laughed nervously. “That little prick...If it was up to me, I would have him out of the board and the company as soon as possible. Unfortunately I can’t sign him out of my life as well. My father didn’t give me the option.”

“Still having a hard time adapting to the family?”Arya allowed herself to make a more personal question for a change. “I thought you were perfectly integrated.”

“To the business? Yes. To the family? I’m pretty sure they would rather have me as far as possible and I can say the opposite is also true. I’m there because for some reason my father thought it to be a good idea to get me involved in the business before he passed. It didn’t make much sense back then and I’m pretty sure Daenerys wanted to claw his eyes out for this.”

The wind was cool and pleasant as they walked. Jon guided the way to the restaurant Jon had mentioned. It was a place that Arya was familiar with although she had no idea the owner was Jon’s close friend. It was nothing grand or particularly fancy, but it was cozy and had some decent food. For anyone passing by, they looked like an ordinary couple standing somewhere between too tired to think about cooking and still looking for a place to have a nice cozy dinner at Valentine’s Day.

Jon wasn’t exactly the most open person she knew, but the whiskey probably loosened his tongue and make him way more talkative than he was on regular basis. It didn’t bother her exactly, but Arya couldn’t say that she was as comfortable as him criticizing her work mates. Especially not when Aegon Targaryen was the chief of her department. That made Arya quiet for a while and probably gave Jon the wrong impression of her being judgmental of his complicated family situation.

“You must think I’m being ungrateful for what I have.” Jon added at some point, obviously embarrassed by the awkward silence. “It’s not that I don’t like my job, or the privileges that come along, but I feel like an outsider most of the time and living among Targaryen’s can be a very hostile environment.”

“I don’t think you are. I guess it must be odd to meet your father as an adult and suddenly has all this thrown on your shoulders.” Arya agreed before they could order dinner. “I’m pretty sure I would freak out, if I were in your shoes.”

“You have your own reasons to freak out though. What do you think of the work? Do you like the company?” He asked gently. It’s not as if she felt comfortable to say that she hated Connington and how he made her life miserable most of the time. Jon seemed to be honestly interested in her well being. Maybe he thought that he owned that to Robb or something, but Arya would rather find her own path in her career and not rely on Jon to reach success. He didn’t sound like that though. He didn’t even sound like a major board member. If anything he made her few like a real colleague or even a friend.

“I do. So far it has been a great opportunity. I’m still adjusting to it, but I’ll work as hard as anyone to reach a good position.” She replied carefully. Jon smiled in a way that made her warm inside.

“What would this position be?” He asked.

“Is this one of those HR’s interviews? Like...How do you imagine yourself in ten years?” Arya teased wittily, making him laugh. A low and somewhat shy laugh, but still felt like the most impulsive reaction he had expressed in years.

“Not really. You don’t have to answer if you don’t feel comfortable. I’m probably being impertinent and inappropriate.” He explained shyly. “This is just me trying to keep conversation and I completely suck at it. I’m afraid I’ll kill you out of boredom.”

“Not at all. Robb told me to go to Chicago as well. I think he has this idea of us working together in the near future, but I wanted to prove myself first. I like finances, it’s challenging and all, but I would like to deal with people instead of numbers. I don’t know. It’s way too pragmatic and I’m good at seeing the big picture. I would like to actually develop products, work in a more creative position.” She replied honestly.

“Well...I’m glad we got you before your brother had the chance.” Jon teased her. “If Robb makes you an offer, you tell me. I’ll cover it. You get all the benefits you want. Now...I’ll talk with some people and see if we can find you a position that feats your aspirations.”

“Please, don’t! I don’t want you to bother and I’m not making demands. I’m perfectly happy with my current position and I don’t want people to think that I’m being favored for all the wrong reasons.” Arya replied with a sense of urgency.

“Ok. Self-made woman...I respect this, although I’m not feeling demanded in any way. I was glad to know Aegon had hired you and I think it’s probably the brightest move he ever made, but I know my brother and I don’t want someone with your references to be wasted. I’m not doing it out of friendship or anything. I really think you have a great potential and I want to take advantage of your skills…” He paused for a moment as the waiter served the meals. “I think this sounded very very wrong. I’m sorry. I mean...I want my best players at the right positions.”

“Are you always so uptight about your words?” Arya finally asked with a hint of humor in her voice. It made Jon blush a little.

“I am actually very mindful of this things. I don’t usually hangout with people from work, except for Daenerys and Aegon, which is more of a torture than a social engagement. You are someone that...Well. I know you since...Ever, I think. It’s hard not to act with a certain level of familiarity. You can’t blame me for this. I already knew you during your braces’ years.”

“I would love if you could simply forget this.” Arya laughed nervously. “It’s odd for me as well. I mean...Call you Mr. Snow is kind of weird.”

“I’m glad you don’t address me as Mr. Targaryen. Makes me feel less weird inside the company. It’s still weird, but in a good way.” He said with an awkward smile that made her feel warm inside. “I have to say that I hate having to call you Miss Stark. It makes no sense whatsoever.”

“With that much I agree. I would rather have you calling me by my name, but it won’t be exactly adequate. Company’s culture is a bitch if you ask me.” He chuckled at that.

The dinner didn’t last for long, although Arya could spend the whole night in his company without ever feeling bored. It felt good to have company, especially one that was all awkward and sarcastic most of the time. It almost made her forget about Valentine’s Day or at least made her feel less of a loner for a change.

Jon’s sense of humor seemed to be something rare to witness. Something like the Northern Lights or a comet. It hadn’t changed much since they were kids and Jon would spend weekends at her parents’ house playing video games with Robb.

He was right. The formality between them made no sense especially when Arya had seen him during some pretty odd phases. Braces, acne, terrible haircuts, disastrous glasses...They had seen it all and although Jon didn’t see her as anything but Robb’s little sister, he had always been very nice to her and sometimes more of big brother to her than Robb actually was.

Of course she had a crush on him during her teens. Robb and Jon were about to go to college and Arya was heartbroken when Robb told her Jon was dating someone.

The universe had a very twisted sense of humor. They ended up working at the same place and she could feel how much Jon wanted to talk about ordinary stuff and treat her with the same level of intimacy they always had. Arya wondered if circumstances had been different, that night might have taken a different direction as well. That was probably just her die hard crush on him coming back to surface after so many years, but still...It was hard not to think about possibilities, especially when she was having dinner with him during Valentine’s Day.

As he had promised, Jon drove her back home. Arya took the time to enjoy the city view through the window. She liked the night and how the city got calmer.

“Are you as tired as you look?” Jon asked gently.

“Is it that bad?” Arya replied with a lazy voice.

“A bit, but I suppose I’m not any better.” Jon added with a condescending smile. “I think next time we go out we should be rested.”

“There will be a next time?” Arya question. That was an unexpected turn of events, but again...She was probably seeing too much into something that was perfectly innocent. Jon was probably just in need of a friend given his troublesome relationship with his own family.

“I would like to, but I will understand if you tell me that the idea of hanging out with me makes you feel uncomfortable.” He teased as he parked the cart in front of her apartment.

“Sounds like a good idea.” Arya dismissed his own insecurities. Even if nothing came out of it and Jon was simply being nice to her as he always had been, Arya wouldn’t miss that chance of getting closer to him. “Would you like stay a bit? I’m sure I have some beers in my fridge.”

“I don’t want to bother you. I’ve already took too much of your time on a Friday night and I’m still shocked that you had no plans for Valentine’s Day.” Jon gave all of his excuses to turn down her offer, but none of them seemed strong enough to stand a bit of insistence.

“Connington ruined my night, not you.” Arya said it as a matter of fact. “Besides, I could do with some beers and good company. If it makes you feel more comfortable with the idea, no one at the office has to know that we will be shaming each other for the next feel hours by mentioning every fucking embarrassing moment we’ve ever lived.”

“You’ll regret this invitation, Miss Stark.” At that Jon laughed openly.

“I know, but I’ll give as good as I get. I haven’t forgotten about your goth phase.” Arya teased back. “Come on! You look like someone in need of a break and I’m trying to save us both from a lonely Valentine’s Day.”

“Sounds fair.” Jon finally agreed.

As they climbed the stairs Arya tried to remember in which state she had left her apartment early that morning. She could only hope the place would be somewhat decent. She tried to ignore the flurry in her stomach and all the foolish dreams she had had along the past years that involved Jon and her alone in her apartment.

Jon didn’t seem to notice much around him once they got into the apartment except for the family photos Arya used to decorate the place. Jon took off his coat and let it resting on her favorite armchair before he could take the time to examine all the fine collection of memories she had at display. His grin was half dazzled and half melancholic, making Jon look a couple of years younger and way happier than the guy she worked with.

“I remember this one. Bran’s tenth birthday, wasn’t it? You broke your arm a couple of days previously to it.” Jon mentioned as he pointed to the photo. “See? I signed your arm.”

“Yeah...Not my finest moment, but I liked the smiley face you draw.” Arya answered as she walked towards the kitchen to fetch them something to drink.

“Sure...I had such a great potential for plastic arts.” Jon replied sarcastically before putting down the photo. “It’s a nice place you have here.”

“It’s the best I could afford in town. I like New York, but I hate how expensive it is to get a somewhat decent place to live here.” Arya said as she walked back into the living room with two bottles of beer in hand. “It’s not a fancy flat on the Upper East Side, but I like it just fine.”

“Upper East is terribly overrated, if you ask me. I live in Brooklyn since I moved to the city and it gives me all the distance I need from Aegon and Daenerys.” Jon replied as he accepted the bottle from Arya’s hand. “Cheers.”

“Cheers.” There was a brief silence as they both took a sip from their bottles. Arya turned the TV on just for the noise. It made things less awkward between them to have the sound of a random basketball game playing on the background. Jon sat on her couch unceremoniously and Arya mimicked him. “So...How come that you have no one to go back to on Valentine’s Day?” He let an embarrassed laugh escape his throat at that question.

“Oh well… Here I thought you would wait for the second beer to ask this question.” He teased before giving his beer another gulp. “I could ask you the same question, you know?”

“I know, that’s precisely why I asked it first. It’s very rude to answer a question with another question, you know?”

“I guess I can still hear your mother’s voice repeating it inside my head every now and then.” Jon snapped back. “Let us just say that a personal life and my current job simply don’t go well together. I work late hours and I’m hardly good company for anyone when I get back home.”

“You seem to be just fine for me.” Arya replied lazily. She removed her shoes and tried to find a comfortable position.

“That’s because of the whiskey and the beer.” He answered with a hint of humor. “I had someone around, but it has been almost a year since we broke up. I think it was for the best. Right now I have too much on my plate with the company.”

“Is it that bad?” Arya questioned curiously.

“You tell me. You work in the financial department. How worried should I be?” Jon’s voice suddenly turned sober as he looked absently to the bottle in his hand.

“I would rather keep work outside tonight.” Arya answered in a similar tone. “You’ll know my opinion through my reports, but right now we deserve a break from Targ Inc.”

“With that much I agree.” Jon sounded a bit relieved by her refusal to give him a straightforward opinion on his family’s business. “Just promise me you will be brutally honest about it whenever your reports reach my table.”

“Since when I sugarcoat things from you?” Arya tried to lighten the mood and it seemed to work.

“You never did.” He chuckled at that. “What about you? How come that the amazing Arya Stark is single on a Valentine’s Day?”

“I guess I can go for the same alibi you used. New job, new town, there’s little time for me to go around and meet people, let alone Mr. Right.” Arya rolled her eyes at that. “I’m good the way I am. I don’t really need a boyfriend now. It would only make things complicated.”

“I find it hard to believe. You’ve always loved complicated.” Jon teased her a bit before putting down his empty bottle.

“I don’t love the drama. The drama loves me.” Arya replied. “But I must say that your record is way worst than mine. I mean...The thing with that red head you dated during college. That was an utter waste of time.”

“I see Robb kept you well informed. In my defense, Ygritte had an interesting sense of humor and I thought it to be kind of sexy.” Jon said as he shrank his shoulders a bit. “She reminded me of you quite a lot, actually.”

“I know. I’m terribly sexy, especially when I laugh like a dying pig.” She tried to not take that comment seriously, or at least to not interpret it in a way that would get her expectations sky high. “But I admit that your thing for good sense of humor to be surprising. Most men would go for the obvious. Pretty face, top model like body...You at least have personality.”

“I don’t know if you noticed, but I’m not exactly the life of the party. Having someone around to share a laugh with is truly something I enjoy. I guess this is one of the things I miss the most of our youth. You, Robb and Bran...I was always laughing back then.” Jon tried to explain in a way that could keep the conversation safe. “C’mon! There’s nothing unusual you look for in a guy?”

“Yep.” Arya nod in agreement. “I like them complicated, as you said. Even better if he is a bit broody too.” She said it as a matter of fact. Half a joke and half truth. “You can blame it on some Freudian bullshit, I guess.”

“Or the fact that you had a crush on me.” Those words seemed to get out of his mouth by accident and for a second her blood ran cold inside her veins.

“Now you are sounding way too pretentious. It almost feel like you are related to Aegon Targaryen.” Arya spanned back, completely ignoring that she was insulting both of her bosses in one go. Jon didn’t seem to care about it though.

“Well...I had to inherit something other than my father’s terrible mood and being pretentious is our family brand.” Jon smirked. “I guess I had a thing for you as well. I don’t know...You surely had an impact in the way I look at women.”

“Jon...Go home, you are clearly drunk.” Arya laughed nervously at that.

“I probably should, before this conversation can be labeled as sexual harassment.” He finally confessed. “It’s true though. You are hard to forget.”

“Are you really flirting with me, or all this talk is just your way of showing that you feel nostalgic?” Arya finally questioned in the most blunt way possible.

“I guess I’m really trying to flirt.” Jon shut his eyes and made a funny face. His cheeks were slightly flushed.

“You are terrible at it!” Arya broke in a laugh and Jon followed.

“Is it working?” He questioned breathlessly. “Be brutally honest about it.”

“In fact...It is, but it doesn’t make it good flirting.” Arya said as she allowed herself to get closer to him.

“What should we do about it, Miss Stark?” Jon asked as he cupped her cheek tenderly.

“Not tell about this night to anyone at the office and definitely not tell Robb.” Arya replied with a smirk as she climbed on his lap and slowly removed his tie.

“What is happening tonight?” He tried to keep a straight face as he asked that, but it didn’t work much.

“We are taking nostalgia to another level.” Arya said it before her lips claimed his in a kiss that felt like a homecoming.

  



	2. Chapter 2

He never expected for the night to end that way. It was somewhat surreal to live the whole experience. Jon could blame it on the alcohol later, but he was painfully aware that Arya working for Targaryen Inc. had been messing up with his mind for a while.

Robb’s little sister was fresh from Columbia and came highly recommended. Not that Jon needed more than the surname Stark to agree with Aegon when he hired Arya. It was unethical from his part to display such a level of favoritism, but Jon was aware of her intelligence and resourcefulness. It proved to be the right choice, since her reports were always punctual and detailed, with sharp conclusions and decent recommendations when necessary.

Arya had given up a life of stability and luxury back in Illinois. Old money family and an older brother well placed in the business willing to open his own financial firm was a guarantee of meteoric career. It was more than Targaryen Inc. could offer to her, but Jon respected her determination to prove herself to be a competent professional, although Connington kept saying she was entitled and never got the numbers right. Well...Jon had been suspicious of those numbers since he entered the company anayway. Arya’s financial reports only reinforced his suspicions.

Arya was proud beyond imagination. That was almost a family trait, but her stubbornness and pride was stuff of legends. Jon admitted that he liked that about her and trusted her up bring to keep her judgment always fair and honest in professional grounds. Personal life and all the bad ideas it entailed was something else entirely.

He stood quiet, just looking at her naked back as he tried to figure how that happened. It was one thing for Jon to find a woman interesting and attractive, and another thing for him to fall for Arya. For most of his life she had been like a little sister. Jon genuinely loved her as such and most of his fond memories and anything other than brotherly affection felt just wrong.

Things might have changed when he met her at the office for the first time. Jon simply wasn’t expecting to see her there, with briefcase in hand and all dressed up for an interview. Aegon had just hired her and it couch Jon by surprise. It was Arya calling him by his mother’s surname what changed everything.

Nobody called him Snow inside the company, not since Rhaegar had recognized him and included Jon in his will. During his late teens that felt like being transported to a different reality; to a life he might have had if his father had done the right thing from the start. The Targaryen name was something he had a hard time digesting and only truly accepted because it would be stupid not to when that could open so many doors in his life.

He went to college and got his whole life suddenly designed in front of him. He was a board member and took great pride in giving the place a bit of his own perspective. The family part was the real problem.

No matter what they did, Jon constantly felt like an outsider. His looks, his lack of refinement and modest childhood were often used as funny anecdotes during parties and family gatherings. Both Aegon and Daenerys made it clear that Jon wasn’t welcome and if it wasn’t for his competence they would have found a way to kick him out of the company as well.

Being called by his name again by someone he genuinely cared about and had deep affection for was a welcome change. Arya waltzed back into his life and despite of the hierarchy in the company, Jon wanted at least to count her as a friend. What a mess they’ve made out of that.

Maybe he was just feeling lonely that night. Stressed up over work and with his judgment clouded by whiskey; he invited her to have dinner without any second intentions. Jon just wanted to chat and enjoy her company outside office. He just wanted to feel like his younger self again and it worked way too well. With all the pros and cons, Jon was transported back to his eighteen years old and how there was an odd sexual tension between him and Robb’s little sister ever since.

Back then it felt a bit one-sided, but Jon had to admit that he enjoyed the attention. Arya was funny, terribly clever and probably the only one who never judged him for rejecting Rhaegar at first. She was the only one to accept his outrage and resentment towards his father as something valid and reasonable.

Arya probably had no idea of how much it meant for him to have her support. Fuck her young age and lack of experience. At the time Jon wasn’t at the top of his rational behavior. He was just a teenager whose father never wanted him and suddenly his father came back, with a big name and a lot of money, making offers that were too good to refuse and forcing his mother’s hand. Rhaegar wanted his youngest son home and taking part in his family. Jon wanted the man to fuck off like he did when Jon was born.

He had no idea of how much a girl simply letting him vent and cry could affect him in the long run, but there he was. That girl had turned into a woman and Jon was no better than his eighteen years old self. He still needed acceptance and a good amount of validation. More than anything he wanted to have something good and meaningful in his life. At first it was easy to mistake his feelings for Arya as protectiveness, but that night things finally got clear.

All those couples holding hands and having dinner together. All the flowers around and the tacky gifts exchanged...Maybe all that made Jon susceptible to accept his less honorable feelings for her. During most of the night he wanted to kiss her and kept wondering if that feeling was mutual.

Arya moved languidly and stretched her back a bit before turning to his side without waking up. The blanked no longer covered her breasts and the image of her sleeping so peacefully was both alluring and comforting.

Jon got closer to her and held a very sleepy Arya in his arms as he allowed slumber to come for him as well. He closed his eyes and suddenly he felt young and back at home.

He woke up with his phone ringing. Jon rose from bed in a hurry, searching for his phone in the pockets of the clothes he had left on Arya’s floor. He had no idea of how much he had slept or who could possibly be calling him on a Saturday morning.

“Hello.” He answered groggy and without checking who was calling.

“I’ve been trying to talk to you for hours now.” Tyrion’s voice hushed and anxious. “Where the hell have you been?”

“Busy.” Jon avoided any details that could lead his friend and auditor to get to the right conclusions about the previous night. “What is it, Tyrion? Why the hell are you calling me?”

“I’ve been checking the books.” Tyrion said. “I don’t know if you had the opportunity to read the new report. I don’t know who Aegon has hired, but I want to kiss this person right now.” That made Jon uneasy and ridiculously jealous.

“What about the report?” Jon asked.

“I should talk to you personally. I need you to go through this numbers with me and if possible bring this Arya Stark with you.” Tyrion answered shortly. “I need her to explain me a couple of things about her report.”

“Fine.” Jon finally decided to do what Tyrion wanted him to. “Where should I meet you?”

“I would rather have this conversation at my place. I don’t want to call for needless attention.” Tyrion instructed. “Tysha and I would love to have you and the girl at dinner.”

“I’ll try to contact her. See you later.” Jon turned out the phone and threw it on the matters.

He ran his hands over his messy hair and then covered his face. _What have I done?_

At broad daylight everything felt way too real and complicated. Dating a colleague was against the company’s policies and his own moral code. It would be bad enough if the girl in question was any other girl in the company, but Arya was  more than just a coworker or a subordinate. Arya a better family reference than his brother and aunt.

Jon would have to figure out what to do about that little indiscretion and also if that would be a one night stand or something more...Regular.

“Why the long face?” Arya asked from the bedroom door. Jon raised his head to look at her wearing an oversize t-shirt that barely covered her tights. Her hair looked like a total mess and that image was so comforting that Jon could feel his heart warming. She carried two steamy mugs with what Jon presumed to be coffee.

“Work, as usual.” He answered. Neither of them really wanted to get sentimental at that point. “Few things can be worst than having Tyrion calling me on a Saturday morning.”

“The auditor guy?” Arya questioned as she approached the bed again and handled him a mug.

“Do you know him?” Jon questioned instead of giving Arya a proper answer. Tyrion clearly knew her and Jon was intrigued by his friend sudden interest in a new employee.

“Only by name. Never had the chance to meet him personally.” Arya said before taking a sip from her mug. “I made some coffee and I have eggs and bacon at the kitchen. Maybe you should eat something before dealing with whatever Mr. Lannister dropped on your lap.”

“Arya...About last night...” Jon finally summoned the courage to address the topic.

“Never happened or it should be kept secret. I know.” She completed. “If anything, I was the one to kiss you first and I consented.”

“What I did was inappropriate anyway. I didn’t want to involve you in any trouble.” Jon tried to explain himself. “I really don’t know what to think or do at this point. I...I don’t want to interfere with your work or anything like this.” He felt his anxiety creeping in and felt a bit suffocated.

“I got involved in this trouble on my own account, ok? I’m well aware of the implications, so you don’t have to worry about it.” Arya was clearly annoyed by his talking. “If you regret what happened, it’s fine. I won’t cause trouble because of it.”

“I don’t regret a thing about it, only my bad timing.” Jon finally replied, maybe a bit too abruptly. “We have history and I just...I’ve missed having someone I really care about near and you are suddenly...An adult! I just...I just wish I had found you before Aegon could hire you to his team.”

“Well...It happened. It’s useless to fret about it now. We just need to figure what we are gonna do about it.” She kept the conversation pragmatic and rational when Jon could barely come to terms with his own feelings about what happened. For once he didn’t want to deal with someone he cared about as if he was in a meeting with the consultants he hired every time they needed to manage a crisis. No! Arya wasn’t a crisis to be managed. She was the first taste of home he had in years and he wasn’t willing to just let go of her.

“If Aegon finds out he will certainly use it against us both. I don’t want you to suffer any sort of harassment. Maybe I could put up a word with Val, or even Tyrion so you can get a position that will keep you in a safe distance from him.” Jon suggested as he tried to get a grip over his anxiety. “As for last night...It mattered to me. You know my reasons to avoid getting involved with women, but...I would like to try if you are willing to.”

“Here I thought you would never see me as anything but Robb’s little sister.” Arya smirked at him teasingly. “This is so not like us. I mean...We both know how bad it can gets if it becomes public. I like the idea of a forbidden relationship, but it think we are two old to play this role. I can deal with it just fine, but you...You like to play by the book.”

“You clearly don’t know me that much.” He smirked back at her as he put his mug aside without touching it. “It’s not above to break a few rules if needed. As I said, we have history. Nobody can say that I used my position to force you to do anything.”

“Are you sure? I couldn’t exactly say no to the boss when he invites me to have dinner and then offers me a ride back home after keeping me working late hours.” Arya’s sense of humor was one of the things he liked the most about her, but he had to admit that was a low blow. “I was completely helpless.”

“Is that so?” Jon reply while taking the mug away from her and putting it to rest on the cabinet by the bed before pulling her closer. “I don’t remember things this way.”

“Of course not. You were drunk.” Arya teased back.

“Well...I’m not drunk now.” He said before pulling her to a rough kiss. Arya didn’t resist or complained about it. She threw her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss instead.

Slowly Jon got Arya on her back and under his body. The kisses alternated between roughness and slow burn passion as his hands grabbed her shapely legs and ass. Arya hadn’t bothered to put her underwear back, which made things easier for him.

His hand slid between her legs and once his fingers reached for her clit Arya moaned shamelessly. That was all the encouragement he needed.  His fingers worked her up until she was all slippery and wet. Arya’s body arched under his, making it difficult for him to not hurry things up. No...This time he wanted to enjoy every detail of it.

A rya’s nails left red marks all over his back and arms when Jon entered her.  In many ways that sounded like something inevitable. After so many years coming and going from the Stark’s house and having Arya as an integral part of his fondest memories, developing feelings for her felt natural. Sex on a Saturday morning, filled with laughs, love bites and the faint smell of coffee on the background...Being with a woman never felt to easy before.

Robb would kill him eventually, but that was a problem for another time, when his mind could actually focus in something that wasn’t the  maddening sensation of having Arya on top of him and dictating the r hythm .  Jon delayed his orgasm as much as possible until Arya reached her own violently. He didn’t last long after that.

They both were breathless again as they looked up to the ceiling. It was hard not to feel like a teenager again. That was it. Arya was is personal youth fountain.

Arya left bed and went straight to the bathroom while Jon tried to figured out what to do next. He still had the matter of Tyrion’s summon to address, but talking about work after sex was literally the last thing he wanted to do. Arya came back with a white towel in hand.  She threw it at him.

“Why don’t you go take a shower while a I make more coffee and try to save all the food that must be frozen at the table at this point?” Arya suggested.

“Sounds like a good idea.” Jon agreed. Should things feel so normal like that? It almost felt like they had been in a relationship for decades.

Arya  didn’t mind to look away once Jon got out of bed still completely naked. Her eyes followed him all the way to the bathroom with a smirk playing on her lips just to make him slightly embarrassed. Still everything about that morning sounded strangely familiar and easy, despite of the awkward conversation about how they should act at work.

Jon took a quick shower and went back to the bedroom to get dressed. When he found Arya at the kitchen she had managed to save the breakfast and was waiting for him to take a seat.

“This looks good and smells even better.” Jon said before taking a seat. “I can’t remember you cooking when we were younger.”

“Well...It happens when you need to live on your own. I’m not an executive chef or something, but I can cook decently.” Arya said. “I don’t even consider breakfast food as something particularly difficult.”

“Gotta say that it has been a while since I last had a home cooked breakfast. It’s mostly just me having a cup of coffee on my way to work and anything I can grab at a Starbucks that looks remotely fresh.” Jon said before tasting the eggs and the bacon. “This is good. Very good. I almost forgot how it tasted.”

“You are easy to please. I still remember you and Robb eating enough eggs to feed a small country.” Arya replied before taking a sip of her coffee.

“In my defense I have to say that we were athletes. Hokey it’s not an easy game and we needed our energy for the games.” Jon smiled at her as he tried to justify. Still it felt a nice change of pace. “There’s something I have to tell you. Not exactly what I want to talk about, but still...”

“What is it?” Arya looked at him directly with a strange sobriety to her.

“Have you been talking to Tyrion Lannister? I mean...Have you sent him reports recently?” Jon questioned curiously.

“I did it a couple of times. I thought it to be the right thing to do at the occasion. I might be wrong about my conclusions on some reports, but I felt something was wrong.” Arya replied. “Connington doesn’t like me any better because of it. Why? Was it wrong?”

“Not at all. You are hardly the first one to find some inconsistencies in financial reports. I’ve complained about it with Aegon and Daenerys in the past and lest say that it didn’t work well.” Jon explained. “I’ve talked to Tyrion shortly after and we restructured the auditory in the company. It took a while to get rid of Aegon’s favorites and try to make things more transparent and efficient there, but we managed. The don’t like me a single bit for doing it. Tyrion called me this morning talking about your reports. I don’t know what you did, but you impressed him which is a hell of a compliment. He wants to talk to both of us tonight, if you have no other plans.”

“Why would he want to talk to me? I’m just an assistant and not even a respected one according to Connington.” Arya questioned. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to go around talking to the chief auditor.”

“I guess you might have given Tyrion some crucial evidences to prove what we suspected from the start. They kept me out of financial department as soon as I started making questions. I was given a different department and all. In board meetings Aegon and Connington just talk about how great our numbers are, but some of the information just don’t fit. I would like if you talked to Tyrion and helped us to figure out what is going on and who is behind it. I can find a way to get you on a different department after a while, if you fear persecution or harassment, but it would help us a great deal.”

“In less that twenty four hours I got a great deal of complications in my life that I didn’t need. I don’t regret last night or the last couple of hours, but I do worry about how things can escalate from now on. You don’t like your brother, but it happens that I work under him and Connington directly. There are just so many ways this could go wrong.” Arya kept her defenses up while sipping at her coffee every now and then. “Besides...Do you think it’s wise for us to show up in a meeting together after what just happened?”

“Tyrion is an ally. Probably one of the few inside that company that I trust and he isn’t exactly a paragon of morality and good behavior when it comes to his personal life. He married his former secretary when he still worked for his late father for starts. I don’t worry about him getting some weird vibes from us, but I do need your help to figure out what the hell is going on.”

“You want to kick Aegon out of the board don’t you?” Arya finally asked with a sly smirk.

“More than you can imagine. I want to do this before he drags us to an endless pit. I don’t want the feds at the company searching our books and computers for something Aegon is either responsible for or is simply trying to uncover for the sake of whatever reasons he might have.” Jon argued. “Last night you said you would never sugarcoat things for me. I need your brutal honesty and competence in this. I know who you are and I know your family record. Your father had a hell of a reputation in business for being a righteous man and he was brutal with potential scandals and damages to the family business. I know you are no different.”

“Bringing my father into this is a dirty move.” Arya replied sharply. “I have nothing to do with this feud between you and Aegon.”

“Oh but you do. You sent the reports to Tyrion. You wouldn’t have done it if you hadn’t smell the bullshit in those numbers. I’m just asking you to be the professional I know you are.” Jon insisted. “Talk to Tyrion. Please.”

“If you had asked me to do it last night I wouldn’t even question it. There is something wrong with the numbers, but if what happened comes to public, whatever I might have found will be as good as nothing in a court room or even to the board. My participation in this may cause more damage than good to your plans.”

“We might have enough already. I take full responsibility for the outcome of this investigation. I can keep your name out of it. In a couple of months have you in a different department and all this will be in the past and we will be able to enjoy a good time together without work getting between us ever again.”

“You don’t have to make me promises. I’m not expecting anything from you other than what already happened. You need me to give you information and that’s fine for me. You don’t need to promise me a good time after. In fact the reasonable thing would be to finish whatever we had here and now.” Arya snapped back in a very rational and pragmatic way.

“I’ll respect your decision if you tell me that you don’t want to see me again in intimate terms. I’m not making you promises to buy your cooperation or anything like this. My feelings for you have nothing to do with this job. With or without your cooperation, I still care about you and I would like to give us a chance.”

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is. The second chapter of a short story that will probably have a couple more. I suggest the song "Just Breathe" by Pearl Jam to get in the mood.  
> I hope you like it and reviews are highly appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3

Thinking of the whole thing in the light of day, with Jon very much naked in her bed made Arya realized with a pang how messy that situation was. It was not as if she regretted having sex with him, but she literally wanted to punch herself for doing so in a time that could ruin her career. Getting involved with a colleague was bad enough, but Jon was above her in the company rank. His name was in the fucking board and having sex with him was the surest way to get into a family feud she would rather avoid like the plague.

While she was internally freaking out and thinking about ways to get out of that mess, Jon was there...Sitting at her table, eating breakfast after a round of good morning sex as if nothing had happened. In fact, he almost sounded happy about it, as if it didn’t affect his public image at all. Of course he wasn’t worried. They were long term friends – for lack of a better word – and he was the fucking boss.

Arya realized a bit to late that they no longer stood at the same level. Jon was powerful, rich and virtually untouchable. A scandal involving a staff member was something he could afford, but her career couldn’t. She could almost hear Robb screaming inside her mind and telling her to quit and get to Chicago as soon as possible so he could make some calls and get her whole life fixed. That would be the easiest way for her to get out of that story with minimum damage, but Arya never wanted her name to get her everything.

Jon was oblivious to her inner monologue and adamant at pretending to be in some cheap rom-com. To make things worst, Tyrion Lannister had to get into the mix. Damn be the time she found the inconsistencies in the department’s reports. Her principles lead her to do the obvious and send the reports along with her own analysis of the data to the chief auditor. She never thought Tyrion would give those things a second thought, unless someone bigger pushed the matter forward. It happens that Jon and Lannister had been waiting for that exact opportunity to set a trap for Aegon or whoever was behind that mess.

If anything, Jon knew how to get into drama like some people always manage get late no matter how many alarms had been turned on. He also had a talent to bend and twist her to suit his own agenda. That was just the silly girl inside of her that failed to get over her puppy love for her brother’s best friend. That little girl had just gotten her hands on the prize and there was no way in hell she was letting go of it. Meanwhile, Jon would use that to his favor. Whatever his plans for the company was, Arya had suddenly become an integral part of it.

They agreed that it was for the better if they arrived separately at Lannister’s house, despite of Jon’s insistence in offering her a ride. That would just make things messier and way too complicated, no matter what he had to say about Tyrion Lannister’s past. Different times, different work etiquette, and Arya hadn’t move to New York to be the new Mrs. Targaryen.

Arya arrived at Tyrion’s home by 8 p.m.. The townhouse bordered the Central Park, but despite of it the neighborhood seemed to be tranquil. She looked at the closed door and wondered if she should ring the bell or not. In the end it didn’t matter. Someone opened the door before Arya could make up her mind.

She heard all the peculiar noises of a crowded household. A baby was crying, as the woman inside shouted some orders and a dog barked. There was a bit of music inside and all that agitation sent Arya straight back home, to her siblings and parents, the huskies and exaggerated dinner parties her mother was so fond of.

“You must be Miss Stark.” The unfamiliar voice presumed and made Arya look down to face a man that was very different from the image she had of Tyrion Lannister. Nobody had ever bothered to tell her Lannister was a dwarf.

“Mr. Lannister, I assume.” She said while offering her hand. “Pleased to met you.”

“Delighted.” He answered in a hushed tone. “Please. Please, get in. It’s chilly outside.” Arya accepted the invitation after a quick handshake.

“Thank you.” She replied politely. “I have to say that I was surprised by the invitation.”

“Really? I don’t know why you would feel so when you so obviously was trying to get my attention with those obscene reports. You are a very naughty girl for all I see.” Tyrion said it in a bold and improper way, making Arya blush for a second.

“Don’t let him embarrass you. Tyrion likes to get the guests in this awkward situations.” A woman said as she entered the room. She was lean, with a fair skin and dark hair. Her eyes were gentle and she carried a baby in her arms. “Hi! My name is Tysha, Tyrion’s wife. It’s so good you managed to come.”

“Nice to meet you.” Meeting Mrs. Lannister sent a wave of relief through her body. “It’s a lovely house you have here and a lovely baby too.”

“Thank you! You are so kind.” Tysha replied with a polite smile. “Honey, why don’t you take our gets to the study while I put Hugo to sleep so we can have dinner.”

“As my lady commands.” Tyrion made a small courtesy in answer. “Happy wife, happy life. I firmly believe this words, Miss Stark. Would you follow me? Jon is already waiting for us at the office and I don’t trust him with my bottles of whiskey.”

Arya nodded in agreement and followed her host all the way to the office. As said, Jon was already there, with a glass of whiskey in hand and taking a careful look to some papers at the study table. Once Arya and Tyrion entered the room, Jon put the papers down along with the glass. He looked at her directly and it was impossible for Arya not to blush. The whole situation was just too awkward for her to ignore and Jon wasn’t any better at it. He got visibly agitated.

“Good evening, Arya.” Jon said addressing Arya by her name, with a level of intimacy that surely wasn’t usual inside the company.

“Good evening, Mr. Snow.” Arya replied politely, making Tyrion laugh.

“I admit it’s kind of cute seeing you guys trying to pretend that you don’t know each other since forever.” Tyrion said. “There’s no need to be so formal. Jon told me you’ve been friends since childhood. I confess that I was surprise to figured out that Jon actually has friends beyond me.”

Tyrion’s little remark certainly had an impact on Jon, who instantly blushed. Arya tried to ignore her own embarrassment while putting her bag and coat away.

“Please, have a seat, Miss Stark.” Lannister said while pointing a chair. “May I offer you a drink?”

“I’ll have whatever Jon is having. I guess this conversation has more chances of succeeding with alcohol in my system.” Arya answered while taking her seat in front of Jon, who was unusually quiet until that moment.

“I believe we are going to get along just fine, Miss Stark.” Tyrion smirked before turning around and pouring her a glass of whiskey. “First of all, I would like to know why you sent me the reports in the first place.”

“I had just arrived at the company and after a couple of weeks I noticed something was off about the numbers. I showed my reports to Connington and he immediately called me an incompetent for making such basic mistakes. Then he took the report away and as far as I know he corrected it to something of his liking.” Arya pointed as Tyrion handled her the glass. “I noticed that kind of behavior to be recurrent in the department, but Aegon never bothered to check into Connington’s behavior. I checked my work over and over again, always reaching the same numbers, so I figured something was wrong about the department, not the numbers.”

“I’m glad you did it. I had the numbers checked and your reports were spot on. Connington’s management of the department has been suspicious for a while, but no one ever presented the evidences of his interference so far. In fact he is just continuing Baelish’s disastrous administration, but at least we managed to get Petyr out of the company with minimum damage.” Tyrion pointed. “Connington is way more ruthless when it comes to the treatment he gives to his staff and, as you said, Aegon is lenient about his abuses.”

“Aegon actually plays along with whatever Connington says.” Jon finally spoke. “The projections are always pessimistic, but our investments continue to expand for some reason. It started with Aegon convincing the board to buy shares of several companies in countries in development. He promised the investment would pay out based on the currency and interest rates, but it never happened. We’ve been loosing money and he says it’s given some political turmoil, change of governments or whatever he can come up with. I voted for getting rid of this shares and try to minimize the loss but I’m an isolated voice. Daenerys won’t vote against him unless given solid proof of his malpractices.”

“What can I do to help?” Arya asked before taking a sip of her whiskey.

“First of all, keep your reports as detailed and accurate as always. As far as I see, the investments are paying out, but for some reason this money isn’t making it to the company’s accounts. I need to know where this money is going to.” Tyrion said. “I need to know who is profiting from it with solid evidence before we can figure out what to do next.”

“Will you get the authorities involved?” Arya asked cautiously. She wasn’t getting into it until she was fully aware of the risks.

“Possibly, but I would like to get him voted out of the board and get his share of the company before getting the feds into it.” Jon replied. “I’ve tried to buy him out before, it didn’t work. If I have a hand that is strong enough and I try to get him out before it becomes a scandal.”

“You are being extremely optimistic.” Arya pointed. “I don’t see why Aegon would accept your terms. As far as I’ve seen, Aegon is a brat capable of ruining the company just to get to you.” Her voice came out acid and sharp. She knew pretty well how bad things could get, especially for her. Arya had no illusions about her frail position in that plot, while Jon was acting completely out of his character by being an optimistic. “I can do what you ask, but you are being terribly naive if you think that your brother is letting go of this company without a fight. It’s not exactly a secret that we are friends, Jon. I am the obvious dubious agent. Aegon doesn’t have to be a genius to figure it out. I need some guarantees. I need at least a safe way out of this family feud in case things get ugly.”

“If it’s your job what you are worried about, you’ll be working for me, not Aegon or Connington. We can have this solved with the HR and still keep you in the department to collect all the data.” Tyrion tried to reassure her, but still wasn’t enough. It wasn’t just about the job but also about harassment. Connington was a notorious bully that kept the whole team terrified most of the time.

“I can do what you ask, but I have my limits. I will drop out if things get out of control.” Arya replied bitterly.

“It’s fair enough for me.” Tyrion agreed. “I very grateful for your cooperation Miss Stark.”

There was silence for a moment and Arya could almost see all the engines turning inside Jon’s head as he sipped his whiskey. He didn’t like the sound of her doubts.

“What do you mean by ‘drop out’?” Jon finally questioned as he put his glass aside and looked directly at her.

Arya considered that question for a second. There was much more implied in that conversation than Tyrion Lannister was allowed to know. That was the sort of thing she would have a hard time telling Jon in private, mostly because he was likely to convince her to stay no matter what out of loyalty, friendship or just appealing to her feelings for him.

“If things get out of control and I am in a risky position to my career or, God forbid, my own integrity, I’ll go back to Chicago.” Arya finally answered before finishing her drink. “That’s my condition.”

“It’s a reasonable plan, Miss Stark. You are right to look after your own career and from my part you’ll have the best recommendation letter I ever wrote.” Tyrion replied condescendingly.

“I don’t think my brother would need that much, but thank you for the offer.” Arya replied.

“I would hate to see you going back to Illinois, especially because of me. I don’t think Robb would ever forgive me for not looking after you.” Jon said soberly, but Arya could read behind those words. It had nothing to do with Robb, or at least that wasn’t the main reason. “If you think things are getting out of control, you tell me and we will suspend everything immediately. I’ll have you moved somewhere else. Another department or even transferring you to one of our offices abroad for a couple of months.” Arya wondered if the second part of his offer would include Jon following her to solve whatever problem he could create outside the country to justify their absence for months.

“This conversation is getting a tad more personal than I’m comfortable with.” Tyrio cut Jon short. “I know you two are childhood friends or something so I’ll let this particular agreement up to you. From my part you’ll have my full support and good references should you chose to leave the company. I will only suggest you to keep this friendship discreet or else the whole plan is doomed.” He smiled at her. “Now I think we should join my lovely wife at the table. Tysha will be mad if I keep you here and the food gets cold.”

They agreed that the conversation was over and the conversation was reduced to frivolities for a while. Arya felt utterly uncomfortable most of the night while trying to pretend there was nothing going on between her and Jon.

Tysha Lannister kept her distracted. Tyrion’s wife had a great sense of humor and some good stories to share. She was a great hostess and reminded Arya of her own mother. That was becoming recurrent and Arya realized that she was probably homesick with all that drama. She just wanted the comfort and tranquility a place that was familiar to her.

Jon seemed to have a hard time keeping his own anxiety in check and pretending nothing happened between them. They sat side by side during the whole dinner and Arya could feel his leg pressing against her every now and then. He would often touch her arm in an instinctive gesture during conversation.

It was embarrassing and uncomfortable to stay there, talking to a strange couple about idle things while ignoring Jon’s relapse and reckless gestures. Tyrion Lannister had a bit of a reputation for being an observer and very perceptive of the environment around him. His acid remarks were also famous. Arya didn’t want him making questions or assuming the obvious, but all those worries seemed to have vanished from Jon’s head completely.

After a couple of hours, Arya decided to call it a night. She excused herself telling she had things to resolve in the morning that would require her to wake up very early. Tyrion and Tysha were polite enough to invite her to stay a while longer, but didn’t insist much. To Arya’s utter despair, Jon decided he would follow her lead and leave too.

Once they got out of the house, after saying their brief goodbyes, Arya started to walk away from him casually. She didn’t want to stay too close or to give him space to suggest something as telling as a ride back home. Jon obviously didn’t understand it. He ran to her and reached for her arm once Arya ignored all the times he called her name.

“Wait! Wait!” He said as he tried to slow her down. “Arya, will you just talk to me?”

“I guess we’ve said too much already.” Arya finally stopped and looked back at him. “I just want to go home and digest the level of shit I got involved into.”

“Were you serious about Chicago?” Jon finally questioned. “Are you really considering it?”

“If things get out of control, yes. I’ll go back home and work with Robb as I should have done from the start.” Arya replied bitterly. “I don’t know why I haven’t done it yet at this point. It just doesn’t make sense for me to stay here and risk having my name dragged to the mud for getting involved with this investigation and you. I won’t be of much use once Tyrion figures what happened last night.”

“Fuck Tyrion and fuck Aegon for that matter. You already gave us enough to start and I can find someone else to collect the information we need. I’ll do whatever you want me to, but forget this idea of moving back to Chicago.” Jon insisted.

“It’s not your decision to make. It’s mine and someone must think straight here.” Arya took a deep breath before looking back at him. “I like you, Jon. I just can’t afford the risk.”

“Let’s think this thru. We are both stressed by the whole thing.” Jon tried to reason with her while not giving Arya the chance to move away. His hand slowly reached for hers in a silent attempt of persuasion. “Let’s go to somewhere quiet so we can talk with more privacy.”

“Thank you, but I will take a cab back home.” Arya replied sharply.

“I insist.” Jon didn’t let go of her hand. Their fingers were entwined and his breath on her neck was yet another distraction she should avoid. “Please.”

Later she would curse herself for giving in, but there was only so much she could think rationally when Jon was so obviously playing with her feeling. Arya got inside the car while looking over her shoulders just to make sure no one else was peeping on them.

She tried to convince herself the only reason she had to talk to Jon was to put an end to that story in a very decisive way. A part of her wanted it all to be over so she could go back to her normal life. Jon was much more trouble than she was willing to handle and she didn’t have the time nor the energy to manage that. There was also the girl inside her though. The girl that always had a crush on him and so desperately craved for his attention. That was the difficult part to figure. How does anyone let go of something they always wanted?

They stood in silence most of the time with just the songs in the radio feeling the void between them. It was an awkward and dense atmosphere. The air around them was heavy with doubts and that unbearable tension that smelled of morning sex and coffee. Arya assumed Jon would take her home so they could revive the previous night after a couple of hours trying to convince her that being together wasn’t a mistake.

Arya noticed that they were distancing from Manhattan. Jon didn’t bother to say where they were going and Arya wondered about what he had in mind. It only became clear where they were going when they crossed the Queens Midtown Tunnel.

“I thought you would take me home.” Arya pointed eventually.

“I can drive you back later.” Jon answered without looking at her.

“You really don’t want to give me a chance to escape, do you?” The idea of Jon taking her to his home should have angered her, but Arya was just annoyed. Jon didn’t want Arya to turn her back at him and pretend nothing happened.

“For a change I would like to talk to you somewhere that is familiar to me.” He explained. “Besides, I wanted to show you my home.”

“This will only make things more complicated.” Arya replied as she looked through the window to admire the city lights. “I thought you didn’t have the time to spare in complicated relationships.”

“I’m making an exception this time.” He said simply.

Arya didn’t know what she was expecting when she realized they were heading to his place. It felt like a trap and made her wonder who dirty Jon was willing to play just to get things his way. She knew how stubborn he could be.

The straight lines and the amount of huge glass windows made the building in Union Ave stand out. It was exactly the kind of place she would expect him to live. It felt practical, modern, and terribly impersonal. Arya just played along and followed his lead all the way to his apartment without questioning.

The apartment had the same straight clean lines and a palette of shades of blue and gray. The place felt almost sterile, as if nothing could actually live inside such an environment. Jon removed his tie and coat and walked around that empty space like someone used to it and the loneliness it implied.

“It’s a nice apartment.” Arya finally said. “Makes mine look even more pitiful.”

“I like yours better.” Jon replied. “Feels like a place you cared enough to give it your own style. I never picked a piece of furniture to this one. Just had someone else decorating it.”

“Why you brought me here, Jon?” Arya finally questioned. “If I didn’t know you, I might freak out over the idea that a guy just took me to his apartment after I said again and again that I just wanted to go home. This isn’t helping your case.”

“You can’t do this.” He finally replied. His voice sounded exhausted and desperate at the same time. “You can’t simply get back into my life like this and expect me to just pretend that nothing is going on and then say you are considering moving back to Chicago.”

“You just put me through a terribly awkward situation and suddenly you expect me to think everything that happened in the last twenty-four hours is something normal.” Arya snapped back. “You honestly can’t expect me to stay here watching my career turn to ashes without a backup plan, especially when you make it so fucking difficult for us to act normally. I thought you were about to tell Lannister about last night or something. We know each other since ever, but we are not kids anymore. You are my fucking boss! If you don’t see how this change things, then I don’t know what to say.”

“I thought you had agreed to give us a chance.” Jon replied simply.

“That was before I got involved in this little plot to dethrone your brother.” Arya added. She sat on the couch and took a deep breath. “If you were any other guy, I would turn away without thinking twice. I would move on with my life pretending that nothing happened, but it’s you and I can’t do this. It’s not as if seeing you again after so many years hadn’t messed up with my head a bit.”

“I was serious when I offered you a position out of the country. We could stay away from all this mess for a while.” Jon’s voice gave away something childish in the way he seemed to think that another country was the answer for their problems. “Just tell me what I have to do for you to forget this idea of going back to Chicago.”

“Not act like crazy and try to be discreet would be a good start, but still...My family is there and you can’t blame me for feeling a bit homesick when everything seems to be crumbling down around me.” Arya replied bitterly.

Jon walked around the room like a white shark. His movements were silent and gracious, trying to give away an idea of someone who had everything under control. Arya knew better than that. Jon’s world had been chaotic since Rhaegar showed up at Lyanna’s door demanding to see his son. Jon was trying to hold to a bit of his past and she had no illusions that their little affairs was about anything but him feeling nostalgic.

Jon sat by her side and put his arm around her shoulders. He pulled her closer and Arya didn’t resist his efforts to put her resistances down. Maybe she was feeling nostalgic as well and they were simply using each other as a temporary relief to their sorrows.

“How long has it been since you last visited your mother?” Arya asked calmly. There was silence for a while. That was the trickiest question one could ever make and Jon wasn’t used to people being that close to him.

“A couple of years.” Jon said with a tense voice. “I can get it that she doesn’t approve of me following into my father’s steps in the company, but...After everything that happened, it would be stupid not to make something productive with my inheritance. I asked her to move to New York a couple of years ago and she didn’t accepted. She said she would never come back and she wasn’t getting anywhere near his family.”

“Maybe you should go home too.” Arya suggested, knowing fully well that Jon wouldn’t get back to Chicago until he was done with Aegon.

“I will, but not now.” Jon replied sharply. “I have things to solve first before I can go back. This is my home now anyway.”

“I won’t serve as your ticket back to the good old times forever. I know you are probably as homesick as I am, but this is not a healthy way to deal with it.” Arya said before turning to face him again.

“This is not about me missing home. It’s about unfinished business and something that would have happened anyway.” He said while running his hand through her hair. “I really care about you, Arya. I don’t wanna miss this chance when it feels so right.”

“There’s nothing remotely right about this.” Arya said while rolling her eyes.

“Maybe not the timing but...Being with you just feels right. I guess I’ve always been inches away from falling for you.” His lips brushed against hers. “I know you feel the same.”

“This is a dirty move.” Arya replied before he could fully kiss her. “You know I had a crush on you. You are just playing with me.”

“Had?” He teased her before taking her earlobe into his mouth. “I guess I have to do something about this.”

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's just say that Jon is throwing his work ethics through the window while Arya is the only one holding to rationality to some extent.  
> I hope you like it and reviews are highly appreciated.


	4. Chapter 4

That was getting out of control. It wasn’t just about Aegon and Jon’s personal ambitions. Arya was a factor he hadn’t anticipated and one that could throw him out of balance as easily as someone changed clothes.

Taking her to his apartment had been a borderline psychotic move. That was harassment. He couldn’t even find a plausible excuse to his behavior, but luckily there was a more impulsive part of Arya that was willing to play along with his bad ideas. That wasn’t him. That was a reckless and stupid teenager acting on his hormones. If he wanted to get Aegon and still keep Arya near, he would have to be smarter than that. He would have to get a grip over his new found obsession.

Arya left his apartment early in the morning while Jon was still sleeping. Her smell was still in the pillows and all over his body as a cruel remind of the night. That felt a bit like rejection although he wasn’t giving up on her just yet. It was happening. He was finally getting addicted to power and control to the point of acting like his bratty brother.

Aegon was no stranger to sexual harassment accusations and Jon was disgusted every time they had to sit with lawyers to discuss a way to make an agreement before the victims could go to the authorities. Jon had always thought of himself as someone above that barbarian sort of behavior, but...He was his father’s son after all.

Arya threatening him with the possibility of her going back to Chicago and his own visceral necessity to keep her by his side as he sat everything around him on fire were driving him crazy. That was still within the limits of what Jon could handle though. It was Arya mentioning his mother what really stroke a nerve inside him.

His mother was an extraordinary woman in many ways. In his mind, Lyanna was permanently grinning like a naughty child and her sense of humor was acid and wonderful. She was a self-made woman and a single mom trying to raise a child under difficult circumstances. Ned Stark had been the first one to give her a real chance in an important corporation after she left New York and moved to Chicago.

Jon had a life-long debt with Arya’s family thanks Ned righteousness and how he overlooked the rumors about Lyanna and her former boss. Back then Mr. Stark looked at her and saw a young woman with the right qualifications and a son to raise. That had been good enough for him and thanks his generosity Jon grew up in a fine middle class home. It was also Ned Stark who encouraged Lyanna to go after Rhaegar and demand a pension.

Lyanna had no reasons to like the idea that her only son had accepted the crumbs Rhaegar threw at him. His father never cared about him. Jon couldn’t remember of a single phone call from that man until he turned eighteen. It changed everything and despite of his mother’s advises, Jon knew all too well that the only way for him to have a better life and to make sure they would be financially safe forever, was to accept Rhaegar’s favor.

Jon learned too late that his father was dying at the time. His offer came with strings attached after all. Rhaegar wanted a successor and maybe not even the old man trusted Aegon to do the job. Jon was his plan B and his last chance at redemption.

Just to think about those things brought a bitter taste to Jon’s mouth. His mother never understood his motivations to move to New York and to follow into Rhaegar’s footsteps, but Jon could hardly think of a better vengeance than to take control over the same empire and the same name that destroyed his mother’s life. Aegon was just collateral damage and Daenerys mostly a nuisance.

Lyanna wanted nothing to do with Targaryen Inc., while her son wanted to rule it all. Jon had tried to persuade her and often sent money and gifts, but his mother was as stubborn as he was. Eventually the phone calls and visits became rare.

In some ways, Arya’s absence reminded him of his mother. It reminded him of a house filled with laughs and warmth.

Jon went to the bathroom and took a long shower. His back still bared the red marks left by Arya’s nails. If only those were the only marks she had left in his life.

When he got out of the shower, still wrapped up in a towel, Jon took a moment just to look at the view he had from his room. When he bought that apartment, the agent said some people usually used curtains to preserve their privacy and also to keep the room darker, especially in the morning. Jon thought it to be a waste. The view of the city’s skyline was the best part of that place and he never actually enjoyed it.

He picked up his cellphone and stared at it for a couple of minutes, wondering if it was a good idea to summon up the courage and do that. Arya would have teased him for even taking so long to make up his mind, but sometimes it was difficult to be brave.

The phone rang a couple of times and he considered to turn it off before the call was picked. In the end he didn’t have the time to do so. The voice on the other side made him smile involuntarily.

“Hello.” The feminine voice said. Jon stood quiet for a second. “Jon? Jon, is that you?”

“Hey mom.” He finally said in a bittersweet tone. “How are you doing?”

“Better now that I can hear you.” She replied and Jon could almost see her smiling on the other side. “Something must have gone terribly wrong for you to call. Spit it out, kid.”

“There’s nothing wrong really. I just miss you. It felt a bit stupid not to use this as an excuse to call you.” Jon replied sadly.

“I wouldn’t mind if that happened more often, you know?” She teased and Jon could hear a lot of noise through the call. His mother was probably at the kitchen, trying not to make a mess out a culinary experiment. “Go on. Tell me some news.”

“There isn’t much to tell. You don’t care about my job anyway.” Jon shrank his shoulders a bit.

“Tell me about your job then. I want to listen to your voice, even if it is while you are cursing Aegon or something.” Lyanna insisted. “Is he still alive, by the way?”

“Yeah...As annoying as ever too.” Jon replied with a bit of humor. “I might have found something on him. Can’t elaborate much yet, but it’s promising.”

“I should have never let you read The Count of Monte Cristo. You were never the same after that book.” Despite of the sense of humor, Jon could notice a trace of reproach in her voice. “Aegon isn’t Rhaegar, you know? In fact I would prefer if there was a chance of you two getting along.”

“Ain’t gonna happen.” Jon snapped back. “You don’t know him, mom. It’s virtually impossible for me to tolerate the man and it has nothing to do with my father. Aegon is a beast of his own.”

“Still...You won’t find any satisfaction in this little vendetta of yours. He will be your brother still. I hope you’ll find something else to fill the void once your are sitting alone at the top of the world.” Lyanna insisted. “I have news!”

“What news?” Jon asked mindlessly.

“You won’t believe who visited me the other day. I was so happy.” Lyanna said enthusiastically.

“Who?” Jon just asked to keep her talking.

“Robb Stark! Can you believe it?!” Now that was an ironical coincidence to say the least. Robb’s sister had just left Jon’s apartment, but that was something he would rather not tell his mother.

“How is he? It has been a while since we last talk.” Jon pointed.

“He is doing great. He just passed by to invite me for his wedding. It was so thoughtful of him to do so. His fiance is a darling too. I’m sure you’ll receive yours in a couple of days. He asked me to tell you about it. He is counting on you to come.” That was his mother’s way of telling Jon to get back to Chicago at least for a couple of days.

“I’ll do my best to attend. I’m happy for him.” He said honestly.

“Did you know his sister is in New York?!” Lyanna finally questioned. For some reason that sounded like a trap. “Arya is a graduated from Columbia! That little devil! I knew she was smart. Mr. Stark would be so proud of her. I hope she’ll come back eventually. Robb is thinking about taking control of the business and I’m sure Ned would want all of his kids in it.”

“Yeah...I know she is in New York.” Jon finally said. “As for her going back to Chicago, I’m afraid I’ll have to frustrate Robb’s plans in this. Arya is working for me.” He thought about his words more carefully. “For the company really. She is in Aegon’s department, but I might have her transferred in case my suspicions about him are right.”

“Now that’s interesting. Arya Stark working for you...It almost feels like karma, or just the universe displaying its sense of humor.” Lyanna finally said with a laugh. “Well...It feels like our debt with Ned is paid. I remember you two were close, despite of her age. I’ve always thought she had a bit of a crush on you back then. Look after her, will you? She is a sweet girl.”

“You don’t have to worry about it. Arya is perfectly fine and I’m not giving Robb a chance to take her back home.” Jon added.

“I thought you might say something like this.” There was a knowing tone to Lyanna’s voice, as if she could read beyond those words. “Maybe if she comes back, it might persuade her to do the same.”

“I said I’ll do my best to attend to Robb’s wedding. I hope you still have a spare room for me.” Jon teased her.

“I think I’ll have to get rid of my painting materials then. It’s incredible the things we do to avoid dealing with the empty nest.” His mother sounded pleased with the perspective of his visit. “I’ll have everything ready for you. Don’t even think about going to a hotel!”

“I would never do that. I may talk about it with Arya. Maybe we can go together or something.” Jon finally said.

“That’s what I would call a great entrance, if you ask me. Catelyn will certainly love to see you around one of her girls.” His mother’s acid remark made him blush.

“It’s not like that, mother. I just thought it would be practical.” Jon corrected her immediately.

“I know. I’m just fooling around. You are way too proper to date a colleague, let alone one that is Robb’s sister.” Oh if only she knew…

“I have some stuff to solve here. I’ll call you later this week.” Jon decided it was time to finish that conversation before his mother reached all the right conclusions.

“I’ll wait for it.” She replied. “Love you.”

“I love you too.” Jon turned off the phone and for a long while there was just him, the silence and the absence of something meaningful in his life.

For a while Jon debated with himself if he should or shouldn’t call Arya and tell her that he had just talked to his mother. That was probably a bad idea, given the fact that she had left his apartment early precisely to avoid conversation.

Monday took forever to arrive. Jon hadn’t slept much that night and as a result his mood was grumpier than usual. He probably should take a time to run or do some exercise to relieve the stress, but that wasn’t happening any time soon that day.

He had a board meeting early in that morning to attend and Daenerys would be there, along with Aegon. His brother was supposed to present the numbers of the previous months – the same Arya had so carefully presented to Tyrion and Aegon was sure to fix to his taste. Jon simply didn’t want to look at his face and pretend everything was fine. In fact what he truly wanted was to kick Aegon out of the company and then invite Arya on a date that actually felt intentional.

It was funny to arrive at the office that morning. It felt like he was entering the building for the first time all over again to meet his father, only this time Jon was actually happy about it. Not happy about the work and the amount of trouble in the horizon that would inevitably come his way, but because he was genuinely excited about meeting Arya after a crazy weekend.

Maybe he could find an excuse to summon her to his office, or text her so they can meet for a cup of coffee later. He was feeling like a teenager all over again. Looking for excuses to spend time with her. Back then it used to be hokey games and rock bands. It used to be funnier than financial reports and fraud. Apparently his mother had noticed the obvious way before Jon could. Falling for Arya wasn’t something new at all. He had been in that process for at least a decade.

Jon went to the conference room earlier to prepare for what was bound to be a couple of tedious hours. Tyrion wouldn’t be present that time, but Jon would rather see what Aegon would present and let his brother comfortable to make mistakes.

Half an hour later, the board members started to arrive. Daenerys was the first one to enter the room with a sour face and a cup of coffee in hand. Judging by her expression, Drogo and her had argued again. It was becoming frequent and there was a rumor that her marriage was sinking. There was even a nastier rumor about her and Daario, one of their business partners in the East, having an affair.

“Morning.” She said sourly. “You are early.”

“I know. I just wanted to prepare before we start.” Jon explained as a matter of fact.

“I hope this will be fast. My head is killing me.” Daenerys replied grumpily. “To expect Aegon to be on time is useless thoughtful. I don’t know why we can’t simply let Connington answer for him instead.”

“If this is ever put to vote, you have my support.” Jon agreed. “Have you seen the last reports?”

“Anything worthy of notice?” Dany asked in a bored tone. “Are we losing money?”

“Well...We are certainly not receiving any from those investments from last year.” Jon pointed immediately.

“This things happen. I takes time for the money to show up.” Daenerys said as a matter of fact.

“I’m not that thick, Dany. I’m just saying that I want plausible explanation. He guaranteed the investment would pay itself in a matter of months. Over a year have passed and I’m still waiting for the profit to come.” Jon insisted.

The other members started to arrive, making them change topics while waiting for the meeting to start. As usual, Aegon was the last to arrive. He came in with a cup of coffee in hand and not a single concern about his delay. It was annoying to looking at his arrogant face that looked like a copy of their father’s. Rhaegar had been a businessman though. Nothing ever got between him and the company, not even his affair.

“Morning, everyone.” He said as he took the seat across the table, looking directly at Jon with his usual arrogant smirk. “It is a lovely morning, isn’t it? I think we should start.”

“Nice of you to come.” Jon couldn’t hold his tongue. “Next time make an effort to arrive earlier.”

“Being this sour won’t make you more relevant in this company, brother. You should try to relax every now and then. It’s good for your health.” Aegon returned the provocation while board members tried to disguise their discomfort with the little scene. The perk of taking part in a family business is that borders are not always clear between company matters and family matters.

“If the two of you are done with the bickering, we should start.” Daenerys cut into the discussion. “And Jon is right about your delay. We don’t have all day to spend in this room waiting for you to show up.”

“Despite of your high opinion on me, I got late because I had to fix a few reports some new girl screw up. So much for a Columbia girl. Ivy League used to be better.” That remark raised all the red flags inside Jon’s head.

“What was wrong with this reports?” Jon questioned as Aegon asked for the documents to be handled to the members.

“A bit of a mess. For some reasons she used outdated numbers.” Aegon said simply. “Nothing that should worry you, Jon. You see, I am committed to this company and I can’t sell numbers that are not real to our shareholders.”

Jon looked briefly at the report. It was similar to Arya’s, except for their investments. The numbers were clearly downplayed. The company was healthy and investments that didn’t pay off weren’t the worst thing that could happen to them. Aegon new it was easier to sneak a few treats out of a bountiful table than a pauper one.

“I wonder when we will see the so called profits from this little adventure in South America.” Jon questioned.

“I wouldn’t expect you to understand how politics and internal turmoil could affect the payment of our tittles. It takes someone who actually understands thins things to manage it.” Aegon snapped back.

“That’s quite enough.” Daenerys once more got between them. “I’m not in the mood for this, so can we move forward to the next topic before the two of you make this even more embarrassing.”

The rest of the meeting was mostly uneventful, with a few decisions that had to be voted and had already been discussed. When Jon left the room back to his own office, his head was killing him. The urge to punch Aegon wasn’t something new, but this time he had an especial reason to crave that. He was sure the Columbia girl was Arya and Jon wouldn’t just seat around and listen to his brother diminish her like that.

The idea of transferring Arya to another department was getting more and more tempting. She was right to say that their involvement made everything more complicated. Jon was no longer thinking straight, nor playing cool at Aegon’s provocations. It was only a matter of time until his brother figured that there was something wrong and Arya was the easy target.

At his office he poured himself a glass of water and searched for aspirins for his headache before getting back to work. As he waited for the pain killers to kick in, he looked at his phone for a while. The idea of texting her was tempting. Maybe too tempting for him to resist. Jon checked for the hours and concluded she was probably having lunch.

Without a second thought he grabbed the phone

“ _Are you having lunch already?”_ He texted. It felt awkward to do so since he barely texted anyone and when he did it was mostly business. His question felt a bit intrusive and robotic.

Jon waited impatiently for an answer. Maybe she was busy and couldn’t reply at that moment. Maybe she had turned off her phone during work. He could simply cross the corridor for whatever reason he could think about, just to surprise her.

Knowing Arya, that kind of behavior would only buy him more resistance from her part. He should probably invite her to have dinner later, or even a coffee just to make it less threatening. _What’s wrong with me? This is getting pathetic._

“ _Yep”_ Jon was dragged out of his inner turmoil by her answer. Just like a teenager, he grabbed his phone and tried to think of something clever, or at least remotely interesting to say.

“ _How was your morning?”_ Not his most brilliant move, but at least was a safe one.

“ _Annoying. Connington is acting strange.”_ Arya replied faster this time. _“I’m trying to play dead for the day. How was the board meeting?”_

“ _As interesting as ever. The reports were brought in and Aegon changed them.”_ Jon texted back. _“I was worried about you.”_

“ _Of course he did...I’m fine. Don’t bother.”_ That was as effective as asking him not to get angry at Aegon for his mere existence.

“ _How was your Sunday?”_ What he really wanted to ask was why she had left, but that would be a step too far.

“ _Regular. I had some cleaning to do.”_ Arya replied after a while. _“What about yours?”_

“ _Boring. You weren’t there.”_ He finally said it. _“Wanna have dinner later?”_

“ _You know my opinion about this...”_ She answered back. Yeah, he knew he was about to have his offer rejected. He knew the arguments by heart at that point.

“ _You know I won’t give up.”_ Jon insisted as always.

“ _I know. I won’t have dinner with you.”_ Her answer was sharp and adamant.

“ _Don’t make me play dirty.”_ Was he willing to do that? Was he that much like his father after all? Jon already knew the answer for that. He always had known and Arya just made it painfully obvious.

“ _No, Jon. I gotta go back to my station.”_

That answer tasted bitter in his tongue. Jon threw his head back and reclined his chair a little. He looked at his desk contemplatively. There was a picture of his mother and him. He was wearing his hokey jersey and he had just won a match the day the picture was taken. What would his mother think of his behavior? She would probably lecture the hell out of him.

There was also a picture of his father soberly starring at him.  When Jon was old enough to understand, his mother had told him that Rhaegar was the most clever and charming man she had ever met. It was hard not to fall in love with him, but he was also distant and cold at times. She also said he wasn’t afraid of pursuing what he wanted and never took a no for an answer.

Jon never thought he had much in common with his father. He took after his mother in looks and didn’t get to know Rhaegar enough to figure what kind of man he was. This lack of resemblance between them always served to highlight Jon’s own insecurities about belonging in that family and that company, until that moment. He wasn’t afraid of fighting for what he wanted and Arya would have to do better than that to make him give up.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a difficult time for everyone thanks to COVID-19 and isolation isn't the easiest thing to do. I know it's hard so I hope this chapter will cheer you up a bit. We are all together in this. Stay safe. Stay at home.


	5. Chapter 5

Arya couldn’t say her life at work was the easiest those days. Connington was particularly critical of her reports, making sure to double check all of them, just to make sure they would be of his taste. Of course that helping Tyrion and Jon meant a lot of extra work to do. She had to make the same report twice; the correct one was sent to Tyrion immediately and the adjusted one was taken to board meeting to support decision making.

It was mostly a double agent thing and Tyrion rarely gave her any feedback. For all intends and purposes, it was for the best if no one noticed that they knew each other. That was fine with her, but if Tyrion was an easy guy to work with, the same couldn’t be said about Jon.

Arya had forgotten how insistent he could be and being in that kind of business, with all the power involved, certainly reinforced that trait. He texted her frequently just to check on her and make sure Aegon and Connington weren’t too much trouble to handle. He would also invite her to dinner, or have a drink after work, knowing fully well that they shouldn’t be seen together.

They worked at the same floor, with only a corridor of between them, but Arya was avoiding to leave the station and risk finding him on her way to the coffee machine, or restroom. He seemed to have noticed that and at least he was respecting her need for space. He was leaving the office a bit earlier and giving her the peace of mind to finish her work and go back to her home without being followed. If that would last was another matter entirely.

“ _Are you home already?”_ He often texted her at night when she had just arrived in her apartment. Arya knew he was being protective of her and that was something Robb would do if she was in Chicago, but when Jon did that it felt like him trying to control her.

Sometimes she answered those texts, sometimes she didn’t. That wasn’t playing hard to catch, it was just Arya setting her boundaries and giving Jon limits. Regardless of her answer, or lack of it, the following message was always a _“goodnight”_ followed by an emoji o r nothing at all  depending on his mood .

It would be a lie if Arya said she didn’t miss him. Jon’s company was one she missed and maybe the homesick thing was stronger than she thought. Sex was also great and Arya craved for more of it to the point of getting all hot and tipsy whenever she remembered that night on Valentine’s Day.

That was embarrassing for a number of reasons, but Arya suspected the real deal was that Jon and her had history. Sort of…

Jon was Robb’s best friend at school and they remained pals even when Jon moved to New York. When she was young, Arya thought him to be unachievable. Jon was sullen and broody, but still had the “cool guy” vibe s . His mother was a single mom that raised him while working for Stark & Co.. Jon hanged around with Robb all the time, but he was still in her brother’s shadow  and Theon often liked to remind Jon that he didn’t belong with the rich kids .

After a while Arya came to realize that Jon had a bit of inferiority complex and a necessity to prove that he could belong in that world too. Of course he didn’t know who his father was until his late teens. Lyanna had done everything in her power to keep Rhaegar distant.  When Mr. Targaryen arrived in Chicago, determinate to see his son for the first time, the whole thing felt like an earthquake.

That was a bit of a Cinderella story, only that the prince rescued from his simple life didn’t want to be rescued at all. Jon had no sympathy for his father’s family, nor his relationship with Rhaegar had been a good one until Jon actually started to work in the family business.

If Jon was miserable with the life he got, at least the name and the money granted him a VIP pass to the world Arya was born into. There was no Robb to eclipse him and no social distance between then. In fact, Arya was the one in a frail position, trapped between the two heirs of the Targaryen Inc.

It was hard not to think that there was an element of revenge in their little affair, as if Arya was the affirmation of his status and success. The final element of belonging he had been looking for.

She managed to avoid him for nearly three weeks, but Arya knew she would have to deal with Jon sooner or later. It was just a matter of time for that cat and mouse game to end.

It happened in an odd way. She was heading to the elevator when she saw Jon coming her way,  with his coat and briefcase in hand , while talking to Aegon. Judging by his face, the conversation wasn’t a pleasant one. Arya pressed the elevator’s button as if it could make it faster. It didn’t work.

Jon had been too distracted to notice it was her, but once he and Aegon reached the elevator, Jon’s words deserted him.

“Miss Stark.” Aegon acknowledge her presence with a brief nod of his head. “Good evening.”

“Good evening.” She replied briefly while trying to ignore Jon’s eyes on her.

“Going home already?” Jon finally asked.

“Yes. It was a long day.” She agreed without looking at her. The elevator finally arrived and Arya got inside without paying them much attention. She pressed the button for the first floor and thought she was free from Jon. To her surprise, Jon held the elevator.

“We can discuss this tomorrow.” He said dismissing Aegon while getting into the elevator with her. “I had enough of it for the day.”

“No, we won’t. It’s not your department for you to say how I should or shouldn’t run things.” Aegon replied angrily as the door closed between the two brothers.

It was only Jon and her at the elevator and there was nowhere for Arya to run to.

“I’m giving you space, but this is getting ridiculous.” Jon finally said grumpily. “Why don’t you answer me?”

“Because we work together and I’m trying to help you to get Aegon.” Arya snapped back. “Besides...This can easily get out of control.”

“You are right.” He said sharply and before Arya could even blink he kissed her hungrily.

She had no chance to stop him and in fact she didn’t want to. Arya answered the kiss, despite of her better judgment and risking her career just because she was feeling horny.

They skipped the first floor and Jon took her directly to the garage. When the door opened the kiss was broken and they tried to fix their clothes and hair. Jon’s hand fell to her waist, pulling her closer to him as they walked together to his car.

Jon opened the door for her and Arya entered without saying a thing. Jon soon took the driver’s seat as he tried to recover his breath. That was the end of her control.

“My place or yours?” Jon questioned breathlessly as he turned on the car.

“Mine.” She answered simply as she tried to recover her own breath. Jon nod in agreement.

The long minutes inside that car, without talking, and being asphyxiated by the tension in the air, made Arya wonder if  that little affair had gone too far already.

His jaw was tense and his eyes darker than she remembered. The city lights crossed his face and at every glimpse of his face Arya felt her hear sink a bit and no matter how much she fought against her own feelings she still felt hopeless. She was trapped in quicksand.

Jon parked the car and opened the door for her. Talking would only break the imposed coolness and the safety distance while they climbed the stairs all the way to her apartment.

The door closed behind them and everything that followed was chaos. Jon grabbed her by the waste and pulled her up so they could see eye to eye and kiss furiously. Arya wrapped her legs around him and she tried to remove his blazer and tie blindly.

Jon kissed her neck and left love bites on her shoulder. His beard tickled her a bit, sending shivers all over her body. He removed the pen she had been using all day to keep her hair up. Arya had noticed he liked it when her hair was lose so he can pull tightly as they kissed like the world was about to end.

The pieces of clothes were left like a trail on the floor. They didn’t make it to the room. Jon sat her on the table they have had breakfast together a couple of weeks ago. He spread her legs wide open and knelled between them. He kissed her tights and all the way to her clit. Jon was freaking good at that. So good that Arya found herself almost screaming when he made her come in his mouth.

Arya barely had time to recover when she felt him inside her. A small cry escaped her mouth before Jon could kiss her again. He was making that slow and deep, making her hypersensitive body respond faster to the stimulation. They kept fucking like the world was about to end, and that was no one else’s business. Aegon, Tyrion, the company...Whatever reasons they had to pretend they were in control and being professional was soon thrown away.

Arya came twice before Jon finished. As he recovered his senses, breathing heavily against her neck, Arya felt her body boneless. She was completely numbed and dizzy by the whole thing. This time they had been wide awake and wild with need after those stressful weeks. They would talk eventually, but at that moment Arya just wanted the blissful silence.

J on moved away after a while, allowing her to get down from the table. Arya walked away, straight to the bathroom, leaving him behind to lay claim on her bed. When she got back to her room, he was there, gloriously naked and waiting for her. He looked relaxed and perfectly secure of his dominance. He had won the night and Arya would have to deal with that.

“Are you hungry?” Jon asked calmly, while waiting her to lay by his side.

“I am.” She said simply. “I think I could eat a whole pizza.”

“You just read my mind.” Jon said before kissing her lightly. “Do you have a place you usually order from?”

“Yep. Let me get my phone.” Arya walked away from him to look for her phone that had been lost somewhere between the door and the bedroom.

Ordering pizza, dressed with his open shirt, as Jon brushed his fingers over her tights was something almost surreal. The initial tension and restrictions to that affair were suddenly gone, at least for a few minutes. Once she put the phone down, reality came back.

“You are very annoying with all your texts, you know?” Arya said as she laid with her back against the mattress as she stared at the ceiling.

“That was somewhat the point.” Jon answered with a glee. “If it was up to you, we would never talk again and that’s not a bargain I’ll accept.”

“What terms you think to be acceptable?” Arya questioned with an annoyed voice.

“Whatever involves us like this.” He said as he pulled her body closer to his. “And don’t even dare to call me a friend with benefits.”

“No, you are my boss with benefits.”She said sarcastically. “You love to put me in delicate situations. If you keep acting like this, the whole plan will turn to dust in no time. Do you want to take Aegon down or not?”

“I do, but I also want you and this is something I still have to figure how to handle.” Jon replied openly. “I’m talking to my mother these days, as you suggested.”

“Is that so? How is it going?” Arya finally turned to look at him.

“Interesting. She wants me to go home for Robb’s wedding.” Jon said it as a matter of fact. “He invited her. Did you know that?”

“I imagined he might do something like this.” Arya shrank her shoulders a bit as she laid her head on his chest. “Father used to say that Lyanna and you were like family.”

“It was very kind of him.” Jon’s voice was distant for a second. “I was wondering if we should go together.”

“This would cause a lot of unnecessary commotion. I don’t see Robb handling it well.” Arya said. “You know how he is. He didn’t change much since high school.”

“Would you like it, though?” Jon asked while looking directly at her face. “Being together in public, I mean.”

“I would, but you are assuming Aegon will be gone by then.” Arya replied in a pragmatic way. “If you think Robb’s wedding wont be in every newspaper from here to hell, think again.”

“Aegon will be gone by then. I promise you that.” Jon held her hand and kissed the back of it. “I’m not letting that asshole determinate how I should live my life.”

“Sometimes I wonder if this thing about Aegon is really you being zealous of the company, or just some petty and misguided revenge against your father.” Arya finally said. “Rhaegar is the reason of your anger, not him. I know that and you know that since you found out he was your father.”

“Do you think I should just stand by and watch him drag us to the mud?” Jon asked soberly. “I took my place at the board and I fought hard to be respected there. I care for the company and the people working there. You may be right about my anger, but Aegon has his share of the blame as well.”

“It doesn’t feel like this.” Arya finally said. “Did you ever try to have a life that doesn’t revolve around the Targaryen’s in one way or another? When was the last time you did something you actually like. Something you used to do before this whole Rhaegar thing happened?”

“I’ve been doing it. Not as much as I would like, but I am.” He grinned at her with second intentions. Arya rolled her eyes at that.

“I’m serious. When was the last time you watched hokey, or practiced for that matter? How was the last time you watched something silly, like the X Files, or something? I remember you used to love it.” Arya questioned. “Get a life, Jon. Live it for a change. I’m not your ticket back home and I’m not your personal brand of nostalgia.”

“You are nothing like this.” He insisted.

“That’s what it feels.” Arya said. “I feel like I’m a part of your plan in the great scheme of things. Like the last step for you to feel part of the club or something. I refuse to be just your VIP pass or to play along your inferiority complex.”

“Do you really think I need to do something like this just to prove a point?” Jon looked at her with shock and clearly offended by her suggestion. “I don’t need you to be a part of this club, as you said. I’m there already and I hate it. Is it so hard for you to believe that I like being with you? That I’m taking this seriously?”

“I don’t doubt you like me. I just wonder how much of it is because of who I am and how much of it is because of my name.” Arya finally said it. “This was always a bit of a curse and I can’t help feeling that the only reason you are here is because deep down you always wanted to be a part of my family.”

Saying that out loud was more painful than she anticipated. Arya clenched her teeth and tried hard not to cry. Whatever answer Jon might have had, he swallowed it. He just held her tight and kissed her forehead.

“I don’t think you remember it.” Jon said almost in a whisper. “Once I found you crying in the backyard of your house because Sansa told you that you were adopted. You know...This stupid things kids say. You asked me how it was not knowing who my father was, because you were afraid you might never know who your true parents were.” He held her gently. “We have always been the outsiders, Arya. You and I...We are not that different. We never were. This matters more to me than your surname.”

“Would you even look my way if I weren’t Robb’s sister?” Arya still questioned.

“I think so. As I said, I have a type. Women that reminded me of your somehow. I just decided to go for the real thing.” He kissed her lips lightly. “Since you told me to get a life and do something not related to the company, why don’t we do it together?”

“What do you have in mind?” Arya asked as she looked at him.

“Do you still remember how to get on horseback?” He teased. At that Arya made a face. What a stupid question that was.

“Of course I do.” She said as a matter of fact. “Wants to get your ass kicked?”

“We will see who kicks who.” His humors was lighter at that point. “What do you think? A weekend in the Hamptons?”

“It would be lovely although I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to be seen in public together.” Arya pointed. Someone had to be the voice of reason and Jon wasn’t exactly thinking straight.

“Dany and Aegon hate the Hamptons. My face is not that famous nor is yours.” Jon assured her. “We can pass as just a couple of tourists. What do you think?”

“I would love it.” Arya finally said. Jon kissed her tenderly.

“It’s been a while since we last had some fun together.” He said while moving her hair away from her face.

“I thought we were having fun so far.” Arya teased him and Jon tickled her in answer, making her laugh breathlessly.

“We are.” He agreed without stopping torturing her. “I just want some old school kind of fun and a time for us to actually get to know each other.”

“Stop! Stop!” Arya begged him to stop tickling, but Jon didn’t seem much inclined to do so. “I yield!”

Jon got on top of her once more and stopped tickling her. He just looked down on her face again, before kissing her hungrily and pinning her to the mattress. It was so easy to yield to him. It felt almost natural, just like the kisses, the sex and everything else.

Arya felt his erection rubbing against her inner tights as Jon kissed her slowly. Jon wasn’t going away any time soon and that was his way of making a point of his intentions. It wasn’t just sex. It was a display of dominance and self-assertion. No matter what he said, deep down Arya couldn’t shake away the feeling that their little affair had more to do with his issues with power and acceptance than anything he might feel for her.

He would hardly be the first guy she dated that cared more about her name and family money than who she was. Jon already knew who she was and Arya didn’t doubt it was good enough for him, but it was the sweet taste of his petty revenge against the world what truly turned him on.

Maybe she had grown cynical about love and relationships in general. Maybe she wasn’t used to be loved at all  and Jon was just trying to break through all the walls and defenses she had built. Maybe she was trying to sabotage herself again and ruin her chances of living something good with someone she actually cared.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's important to stay home and practice social distance. This is a difficult time for most of us, so I hope to help you guys to have a good time during this quarantine. I hope you like it. Stay home. Stay safe.

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be something else, but it turned to be my Valentine's Day project for the challenge. I may or may not turn this into a multi-chapter in the future. Who knows? I hope you like it and reviews are highly appreciated.  
> I suggest "No Plan" by Hozier to go with this one. Anything Hozier, really.


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